Bahrain ‘top destination for Gulf travel in GCC’

TDT | Manama                                        

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Reported by Julia Cassano

Bahrain is the top destination for Gulf travel in the GCC, according to the Gulf Statistical Council’s most recent report. According to the data, Bahrain accounted for 40.5 percent of the total inter-tourism movement among GCC countries, implying that the Kingdom receives over two million tourists from other Gulf countries.

Every year, over 12 million tourists from across the Gulf countries and other nations experience the best of what Bahrain has to offer, and the country continues to build its reputation globally as a unique tourist destination.

Efforts to promote Bahrain as a unique tourist destination have ultimately led to it becoming the number one expat destination in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Following tourism plans that are set to grow GCC tourism sectors, the region plans to develop its infrastructure and programs to evolve into major tourist destinations over the coming decades.

The Gulf countries aim to develop for the future, with goals to increase the number of domestic tourists spending in the Arab Gulf countries by 2.4 percent annually. The GCC nations are opening conversations surrounding tourism, with new projects, mega attractions, and touristic destinations beginning to develop, which is shifting the region and attracting more tourists from around the world.

As GCC countries shift their reliance on oil and begin to advance their tourism sectors, they aim to raise the total amount regarding travel and the tourism sector to 7 percent of the direct GDP by 2023.

According to the UNWTO, GCC travellers spend 6.5 times more compared to travellers from other parts of the world, meaning that tourist operators within the region have exceptional opportunities to grow profits.

Bahrain already houses up to a million visitors each month, and the majority of these tourists are increasingly spending more while they are in the country, according to the Economic Development Board (EDB). The Kingdom has taken a focused approach to three primary consumer sectors within tourism and hospitality.

Foodservice, retail, and leisure offer opportunities for profitable investments, and Bahrain continues to expand its tourism sector, the EDB added. Events and festivals, beach and maritime, food service, flagship FB and retail, leisure and entertainment, and ancillary services are key areas where Bahrain plans to advance tourism. Experts predict that by the end of 2028, tourism will contribute $133.6 billion (BD50.4 billion) to the Middle East’s GDP.